I blinked a few times, all of the words and sounds seeming to fade together as it felt like my world had begun to end. It was difficult to comprehend what I had just heard, but it seemed to click in my brain what I was missing.

I hadn't guessed Maureen and George's suspiciousness had been related, but not only were questions answered, new ones arose.

Questions that mangled with my head and debilitated me in the moment as I stumbled back out to the crowd of people feeling like I was having an asthma attack.

The walls seemed to be getting closer as I immediately pushed my way to the exit, too shocked to scream or cry or even form a complete thought other than I needed to get away.

Fumbling with my purse, I took out change and found my way to the nearest payphone, struggling to dial the number as my vision was all blurring together.

"Hello?" I heard his voice from the other end of the line.

"Eric, I need to get home." I stumbled over my words shakily.
__________________________

I waited in the telephone booth for the following ten minutes waiting for the car Eric had sent for me before it had finally arrived. I still wasn't able to form any complete thoughts or fully understand what George had done, but I knew I needed to be away from this mess.

I had explained everything to Eric and he had agreed to arrange to get me back home for the time being, although he said I shouldn't leave without anyone knowing. I understood the concern, but how could I face any of them? I would've called Louise and Harold like I had planned if I needed to get away from the tour, but I couldn't tell them the reason why I left.

I was completely humiliated, and scared that everyone might think I was so silly for being so blindly in love with George when clearly he was off behind my back doing things with someone who I had called a friend.

As I went to walk to the car from the telephone booth, Ringo came calling after me worriedly seeing my urgency.

"Where are you going?" He said once he had finally caught up to my side, already having been outside for a smoke.

"Why don't you ask your best bandmate George? Or even better, your wife." I smiled with a sarcastic nod watching as his face twisted with confusion.

"I'm going home." I spoke flatly continuing to walk to the car.

Ringo grabbed my hand from behind me, turning me around to face him as his hand held a firm grip on my wrist.

"Poppy, what's the matter?" He asked searching deep in my eyes for an answer, desperate to know from what I had said.

Without feeling the tears coming on, I felt myself letting warm tears fall down my cheeks uncontrollably, watching as another figure came closer through my tears, realizing quickly it was George. I grit my teeth and wiggled out of Ringo grip.

"How dare you George Harrison." I cried out hearing the overwhelming amount of sadness in my voice and being taken aback for a moment.

His face twisted from concern to hurt and confusion, seeing the pain that overtook my whole being.

"I overheard Cynthia and Mo talking in the ladies room. Seems there's something you failed to mention to both Ringo and I, haven't ye'?" I stared furiously into his eyes, feeling numb in my absolute state of shock.

"Poppy-" His expression fell into fear.

"I'm going home." I repeated again, opening the car door.

"Can't I at least explain? And we're going back to London tomorrow until next week, please, don't go." He pleaded frantically in a desperate tone, stepping closer causing me to flinch as I moved back into the car.

"I'm going to Liverpool." I forced myself to bring my eyes back up to his.

"What?" He looked absolutely speechless.

"With me mum and da'?" He looked slightly more at ease.

"Brian and I's home." I corrected him, watching as he became overwhelmed with sorrow.

Brian and I had kept our house down in Liverpool for any time we had away from London to be able to still call Liverpool our home.

I felt to go there now would be appropriate considering everything, and it was one of the only place that I still had where I could hold onto Brian and I's memories, and now more than ever I missed him dearly.

"I'll call Eric when I land, he'll let you know how I am." I said before sliding into the cab and sinking down into my seat, forcing myself not to look out of the tinted window, wiping a hand over my face as I told the driver to head directly to the airport, where Eric would meet me with some of my things to send me off on a private jet the boys often used for travelling.

I felt so incredibly empty, and extreme discomfort that caused me to shift in disgust as I realized I was carrying this man's child and he couldn't even do something as basic as be faithful to his wife.
                     ________________

Everything became fuzzy as I got to the airport, and seeing the sorrow in Eric's eyes when I'd arrived had only made it worse. I didn't need to be pitied, I just needed time on my own to sort things out. I needed to take care of myself for this baby.

"You're sure you'll be alright on your own in Liverpool?" Eric inquired as the two of us stood at the foot of the plane steps.

"Yes, I just need to sort through some things on my own." I nodded finding it hard to look him in the eyes, I was distraught and I felt my knuckles tightly gripping onto one of my bags for dear life.

"Well, if you need anything just, let me know. I'm here for you whenever you need me, I pray you know that." Eric smiled, hoping to get one out of me as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear.

Had George been right about Eric?

"POPPY EPSTEIN!"

Ringo?

Thankful for the interruption, I turned on my heel quickly seeing a disheveled Ringo running up to Eric and I, as he attempted to lug a large bag with him as he ran.

By the sour look on his face I could clearly tell he had been filled in on the same news I had, quite apparently deciding he needed to join me to Liverpool.

I really couldn't blame him, there was no way for him to continue filming after news like that.

Ringo stopped abruptly as he arrived to Eric and I, looking extremely breathless as he bent over wheezing in his filming suit.

"Do mind if I tag along, just on the plane?" He managed to get words in between the pants.

"No, not at all," I nodded offering a small grin, "we should get going now Eric, but thank you for everything." I grabbed Ringo's arm, tightly clinging to it to drag him onto the plane, having many questions that needed immediate answers.

"Of course, safe travels." Eric nodded with purses lips as Ringo and I boarded the plane.

Ringing kept cursing under his breath until we had gotten ourselves settled in the private jet, Ringo quickly going to help himself to the minibar.

"I can't believe it." Ringo said staring at the table before taking a large swing of his drink.

"Did they, have a night together?" I asked clearing my throat, having not stuck around long enough after hearing they kissed to know.

"As far as I know," he sighed, rubbing his forehead that had a lighted cigarette in it while the other clutched the drink, "while I was feeling ill from the food and you were off to check on Brian, they had a bit of a snog before a reporter snuck in for a picture. Lucky bastard that reporter, probably saw a pretty penny for that." Ringo spoke after looking into his already merely empty glass, taking a hit of the cigarette.

He saw down at the couch across from me, biting his lip as he looked at the ground, processing everything.

Though it destroyed me to know when it happened, since that morning he'd been so loving, it relieved me that they'd been cut short. I'm not sure how much worse it would've been if they'd done anything more.

"I'm not sure if we can fix this." I let out a small huff, my pain speaking for me as all I could feel was betrayal.

"Poppy," Ringo sighed, leaning in closer, "you're hurting right now, I'm hurting right now. But we love them. We have families with them. The situation is anything but simple." He spoke sounding very wise, appealing to my better senses as I nodded, looking down to my tummy.

"Hopefully spending some time away will make things clearer. But I can assure you Poppy, I have never seen George look at anyone the way he looks at you. He loves you." Ringo offered a small grin.

That was the exact thing I wasn't so sure about anymore.